Call Me Crazy...

That was my first thought when I first heard of people making their own laundry detergent too, but then as I learned more about it and how much money it saves, it seemed like a good idea. If you know me well you know I'm cheap, and as of late, I'm obsessed with being frugal! There are hundreds of recipes on line, most call for Fels Naptha soap, washing soda, and borax, and you can make it in liquid or powder form. Everything you need to make your own soap...except that Arm and Hammer stuff is actually already laundry soap, this was before I realized I had the wrong stuff)

I was back and forth on which to use, I like liquid cuz it disolves better, etc, but there was the issue of boiling soap in my kitchen and then making it in 5 gallon quantities and what not (I have since found a recipe for 2 gallons). But then one website broke down the prices and claims that his liquid soap costs $.03 a load, vs $.15 a load (I read somewhere that with the Kirkland brand (costco) it was about .35 a load), so I decided to go with the liquid. I looked and looked for Fels Naptha soap with no success, but finally found some Zote (so I know I was at least looking in the right place--the fels Naptha should have been with the zote if they had it) at Albertson's. So Friday I set out to grate my soap. The recipe I was using called for 1/3 bar of soap, 1/2 c. soda and 1/2 c. borax. I grated the whole thing figuring I would just triple the recipe and not have to store the bar. But then it turns out I had the wrong Arm and Hammer stuff--I got detergent but what I needed was plain old washing soda. By the time I got the soda I had had it with the whole process and need soap asap, so I went with the powdered recipe instead:

1 C. grated soap

1/2 C. borax

1/2 C. washing soda

(here's everything in my blender, actually on 1/4 of it, I didn't want to do too much at once...and THATS the real washing soda)

I threw it all in the blender to mix and grate it even finer (to help dissolve better in cold water) and then placed it in an old formula can (I knew I would use them someday!) and whala! I got 4 C. of grated soap so I added 2 cups each of borax and soda and it filled the large can. I'm so excited! My very own laundry soap. Now to see if it actually works I gave it the ultimate test...Breah's clothes and this poor, disgusting bow that we had lost in the gutter and then was found by a friend weeks later. This picture doesn't even do it justice, it was gross! Her clothes came out good as new and the bow is sparkling again! I only used 2 Tbsp (one for regular loads, but most of mine are either in need of heavy duty washing or are really big loads) as opposed to the regular heaping scoop (1/2 cupish, maybe...whatever comes in the container). I think after I use all this up I'll try the liquid and see which one I like better!